- We've already constructed the number three,and we can add the one and zero too,since they match the constructionof the cap I and the cap O.Let's open the one and the zero in the edit window,so Shift + Click + Command + T,and we'll add the O as a component for the zero,Shift + Command + C, type cap O,and here the side-bearings will be automatically computedbecause the entire glyph is a component.But if you want to test that, just type cap H down here,and you should get this dialogue.

So let's do the same thing for the number one.Shift + Command + C, and type cap I.And now we have the one, zero, and the three.The eight can be composed from componentswe borrow from the number three.So let's double-click on the number three,and just grab the right-hand portion of the number.Copy it, paste, and then paste again,and flip the second group.

Then we'll align them.Correct the path directions.And let's set the side-bearings to match H.The number two will use a spine componentand a couple of simple curves,but let's grab the majority of the formfrom the number three.So we'll grab the arch at the top, and these verticals.And while we're here, let's grab this horizontal, also.Copy those, paste.And to give some form to this,let's add the spine immediately.

So Shift + Command + C.Type the first three letters.Select.Let's bring it down and flip it.And we'll align it here.All right, let's take this horizontal down to the bottom.Let's align it with this left side of the form.And then we'll select these two pointsand align it to the right side of the form.Let's align this vertical.

And then to finish the form off,let's add a vertical here at the end.So copy, paste.And the last thing we want to do beforewe set the side-bearings is close upthis aperture just a little bit.Good.Let's do one last correct path directionsand then move on to the number four.So, for the number four, we're going to borrowthe horizontal and vertical from the cap T.

So let's grab all of those, copy, paste.And let's move the horizontal down closerto the baseline, obviously.I'm going to set this one about 140 units off the baseline.All right, so 140 units, and extendingto the right by 50 units.So the distance now is at 90.

And now it's 50.Let's move the entire thing over a little bit.We want to extend to the right by about 185 units,so right now it's at 90, let's nudge it 170, 180.All right.The next thing we want to do is slender outthis vertical a little bit, just like we did in the cap N.So we'll take five units off of it.Since we have a lot of diagonalsand a lot of junctions here, slimming it downwill keep it from getting too heavy.

So the last thing we want to do is add this diagonal.So I'll copy the vertical and paste it.And I'll grab the two points at the bottomand align them with the horizontal.And this is not bad looking, but you can seethat the top is really heavy, so let's takethose two points and nudge them to the leftuntil we open up that shape.It's still a little heavy.Good.Now let's check the width of this diagonal.

So 92 down here, 92 up here.Let's select all.Correct the path directions, and remove the overlap.And let's make this junction a little bit less heavyby nudging this out a point down,and we're going to have 89 units hereand still 91.8 up at the top, so let's nudgethis top point up.Now we're at 87 and 88.And again, I'm getting this measurement toolby holding down Control + Option + Command and dragging.

We have 95 units here, 88 units here.Let's nudge just a little bit moreto slim out that diagonal just a bit.85, 88...Good.Now let's correct the path directionsand set the left and right side-bearings to match the cap T.The number seven is a slender form.The horizontal stroke should be around 270 units,so let's begin like we did with the number fourby copying the horizontal and vertical from the cap T.

Select all, copy, open up the number seven.Let's center it.Paste.And right now, the horizontal here is at 280.Let's keep it more slender, knock it down by 10 units.Now I'm going to grab these top two pointsand align them with the right side of the horizontal.And you can see now, when I hold down the space barto show the filled preview, that this formis tipping over to the left a lot.So let's first correct all the path directions,remove the overlap.

Let's thin out this junction by movingthis point up 20 units.And then let's grab the bottom two points,and shift them to the left until we balance the letter.Or number in this case.All right, that's more balanced, but it looksvery heavy in the diagonal, so let's grabthis point in the interior angleand move it over 20 units.Now we have a nice, slender at the top,it gets thicker at the bottom,and the entire form is balanced.

It's not falling forward, it's not falling backwards.So let's set the side-bearings to match the cap T,and we'll move on to the five, six, and nine.So for the five, six, and nine,we're going to need a new componentcalled the pinched curve.And we're going to start by duplicatingthe simple curve, so we'll hit Command + Fwhich will help us find the simple curve,and type the first few letters.Select it, and it will be placed into the edit window.So to duplicate this simple curve, select it,and hit Command + D.

And you'll get a copy with a suffix that says .001.We'll trim that off, and we'll replacethe simple with pinched.Hit Return, and now we have a new component.So in this pinched curve, we want an arch,but we want it pinched on the left.So I'm going to copy this simple curve,paste it, reflect it...Align it perfectly, correct the path directions,and then remove the overlap.

Let's correct the path direction again.And I'm going to nudge the points on the leftto the right by 90 units.So that's the pinch, and again, it's not a perfect form,we can adjust the curves, but it's easier,often, to adjust these things in context,as I said on the spine of the cap S, for instance.So let's set the side-bearings to zero.And let's make a number six.

So let's start with, we'll start with a cap C,and we'll grab all of those components, copy them,and paste them into the six.And then I'm going to add the pinched curvein the middle of this form.So Shift + Command + C, P-I-N, grab the pinched curve.And bring it down, align it perfectlywith the right-hand side of the vertical.Let's go ahead and align the bottom of it.

And this bowl is pretty big, so let's movethe pinched curve and the vertical down until we open it up.And this shape obviously needs some editing.So let's get rid of the C, and edit that pinched curve.So we want to move this point overto the right a little bit, so I'm going to hold downthe Option key, and that'll move the pointwithout moving the handles.And if I hold down Shift + Option,I can do it 10 units at a time.All right, it's starting to balance out a little bit more.

And let's grab these two points,and we'll use the fit curve toolto automatically reshape it.Let's do the same thing on the right.That's a little too much.That's better.And we're still listing a little bit to the left,so let's grab that top point and nudge itjust slightly to the right.All right, so that's looking much better.The last thing we want to do to the sixis nudge the aperture open a little bit.

So let's move it up by three.Let's set the side-bearings to H.And then to really test this form,let's put a number nine next to it.And we'll use the number six as a componentfor the number nine.So Shift + Command + C, type six.And then we'll select it, we'll make surethe origin point is at the center,and let's rotate by 180 degrees.All right, let's preview it.And I'm going to zoom out a little bit.

Those two forms look pretty balanced,but I could open up the bottom bowl of the sixin order to open up the top bowl of the ninejust a little bit.So let's select all of that stuff at the middle.Let's zoom in so you can actually see.And select the component, and let'snudge it open by five units.Much better, all right.And the last number we want to construct is the number five,so let's grab all of the components from the number six,and copy them into the five.

And let's move this vertical upto the bottom of the pinched curve.Let's get rid of this arch at the topsince we don't need it.Let's add--Oops, copy, paste.Let's add a stroke over here...to close out the form.It looks like I grabbed the wrong one.So let's undo that, and just grab this, nudge it down.

We'll do it the easy way.All right, and now we want to add a horizontalat the top of this form, so let's go back to the T,grab the top portion, paste it.And let's align it to the left.And make sure it's aligned to the right.Then we'll move these guys up so that they alignwith the bottom of the horizontal.And this looks very top-heavy to me,so let's grab everything at the middle,including the pinched curve, and let's grab the bottomof this aperture, too, and nudge it all upuntil it looks a little more balanced.

Now it's a little bottom-heavy, so let's nudge itdown about by five units.We'll set the left and right side-bearings to H.And then correct the path directions.And let's take a look at all of the numbers togetherbefore we move on.So make any adjustments to these charactersthat you deem necessary, and then let's move onto the lowercase.

Resume Transcript Auto-Scroll

Author

Released

11/27/2017

Learn the basics of constructing a condensed sans-serif font using Glyphs App, the premier software for designing type. Instructor Charles Nix takes you through the design process along a logical path, building from simple elements to a complete font. He shows how to create lowercase and uppercase forms, as well as numbers and punctuation. Once the font is complete, learn about refining it with spacing and kerning, and discover strategies for making the font your own. Charles closes with advice and resources for further exploration of the gothic condensed form and typography in general.